Dallas in Miami
by FanGurl24
Summary: Dallas finally moves the Xquisite club to Miami, where he plans on expanding the business till he realises his dream of opening an 'empire' of strip clubs. He loves everything about Miami-the atmosphere, the clients and the money. But what this hardcore businessman never expected was to fall in love with a girl who makes him forget his obsession with money and only think of her.
1. Miami

Chapter One

Miami

Finally, I'd gotten the act to Miami. The Xquisite club was now officially gonna enter the big league. Big city, big ladies, big cash. Oh, yeah. I drove my new sedan through town, going to check on the club. It was still only 11 AM and there were 8 hours left for our opening act in Miami, but I couldn't wait. I felt like a kid with a brand new toy-all mine to play with. The house I'd rented was just a couple of blocks away from the club, so I could pop in and out whenever I wanted. I pulled up against the curb and screeched the car to a halt. A couple o' Miami hookers who probably didn't have much luck last night were hanging around the pavement. They eyed me with their heavily made-up eyes as I got outta my convertible. "Mornin' ladies!" I said, doffing my baseball cap at them. I heard a giggle and got a wink, which I returned as I pushed open the doors to the club. Ol' Marty was scrubbin' the floors, makin' 'em all nice and shiny for tonight's gig. "Hey Marty!" I called as I entered, leaning down to examine the smooth wooden floor, fully aware that the two hooker chicks were checkin' out my ass through the glass doors. "Mornin' boss. Didn' think you'd be here so early." returned Marty, his voice gruff through his white whiskers. The old man could be my grandfather, but ever since I employed him last week, he's been callin' me 'boss'. I like these Miami folks.

"I like checkin' out my workplace every once in a while. Quality of a dedicated businessman." I said. I winked at Marty, slapping him on the shoulder as I made my way backstage. The light boys were done there, screwin' in the lamps, and I had a couple of the wannabes fixin' up the mirrors, movin' in some tables and bringin' in some emergency weights for the boys to use just before a show. "H'lo boss." they said when they saw me saunter in. Those sweaty faced teenagers were fresh outta high school and lookin' fo something to do before they got swept into the whole college business in a year or two. They wanted to have some fun. Well, they were gonna have to earn it. I propped my foot up on one of the chairs they'd just wiped down. "You all prepped for tonight's show?" I asked. They nodded vigorously, obviously tring to please me. I leaned back. "Well boys, you gonna hafta earn it. This is Miami. You need to work hard to make any kinda money. Even easy money. So get wipin'." I said, turning and walking out. Man, I loved bein' an asshole.

"Yo Marty, I'm jus' steppin' out for a beer. Be back in a while." I called over my shoulder as I pushed my way outta the glass front doors. "Sure thing, boss!" he called back. As I was headin' to the curb I happened to bump into someone real hard. "Hey! Watch where-" I began when I looked down at the little thing I'd bumped into. She was a kid, really. Maybe about 21? She looked up at me with big chestnut-brown eyes. Her black hair was wild, unruly. It tumbled about halfway down her back. Her bold black eyebrows raised slightly when she took in my full height. "Well hello there, missy." I said, lowering my voice. Her smooth caramel skin darkened slightly around the cheeks. She was blushin'. "You from around here?" I asked. She raised one eyebrow a little higher than the other. "Do I know you?" she asked, tossing her hair and walking away. "Well, well, well," I mumbled to myself as I watched her walk down the street, "That little miss got attitude."


	2. Attitude

Attitude

The club was finally open for business. I stood at the bar in my usual gear-tight black pants, an unbuttoned black waistcoat and a black cowboy hat. I watched the crowd pour in-98% ladies. More importantly, 95% ladies with a lotta bling. A particularly giggly group entered. About half a dozen girls, barely outta their teens. One of them was dressed particularly conspicuously-in a short, tight white dress and a bouncy bridal veil. I'm guessing it was her bachelorette party. I straightened up and headed backstage. "You boys ready?" I asked my group o' hunks who would soon be rakin' in the moolah. I heard a chorus of "Oh, yeah, Dallas!" and "Bring it on, Miami!". I smiled. "Good. So let's get this show started."

"Good evening, Miami!" I drawled into the mic. The ladies whooped and cheered back at me. "I like your enthusiasm, ladies. I'm guessin' that'll keep us here for a looong time." I winked. I looked into the crowd and noticed Miss Bachelorette sittin' with her giggly posse right in the front row. There was only one girl in the group who wasn't giggling. I took a closer look and realised-with a little shock-that it was Miss Attitude from this morning. I wondered why I hadn't noticed her when she walked in. The little lady stuck out like a sore thumb. She was the only one in her little gang not in a sparkly dress or a tiny miniskirt. She sat still in her chair, her denim-clad legs crossed and her big black T-shirt hanging loose on her skinny frame, staring at me in shock. Well, she obviously recognised me. "Let's hope y'all have fun tonight, ladies." I said, looking at her.

I headed to a little niche in the corner of the stage where I was hidden behind the thick red curtain but I could see the performers and the first two rows of the audience at the same time. The first show was starting, starrin' my best boys, led by The Kid. I watched them perform, keepin' an eye on the audience as well. The bachelorette was beside herself, as were most of her friends, except Miss Attitude. She looked embarrassed. The Kid held out his hand and pulled the bachelorette onto the stage. Her friends shrieked and whooped, but lil' Miss Attitude rolled her eyes. My mouth tightened. If she thought my show was shit, she needn't have come at all. The Kid danced with the bride-to-be, lifting her and spinning her around and gettin' his hands all over her. Ohh yeah. I'd taught him well. He was causin' some of the more uninhibited girls to throw dollars onto the stage. Yeah, baby, I thought, That's the kinda response we aim for here.

When I returned to the stage to announce the next act-a solo of Mark "The Hunk" Robinson-I noticed Miss Attitude had deserted her gang. Had she left already? I felt a little spark of irritation. Then I spotted her standing alone at the bar, gettin' herself a drink an' talkin' to Rod, our bartender. I went backstage and then made my way to the bar. The little lady had her back to me, but Rod saw me comin'. "Hey Dallas!" he called. "Hiya, Rod. Maybe you can introduce me to you lil' friend here." I tipped my hat at Miss Attitude, who'd seen me and choked on her drink. "This is Laila Kumar. Laila, this is Dallas, the owner of Xquisite." said Rod. "Pleased to meet you, Laila." I said, lingering on her name. "Wish I could say the same." she replied curtly. Rod shook his head as I chuckled. "You got a sharp tongue, missy. Want me to do somethin' to it for ya?" I asked, leaning forward slightly. She pulled back, maintaining her delicate, straight-backed posture. She reminded me of those old black-n-white movie actresses-girlish, yet proud. "So how'd you know Miss Laila here, Rod?" I asked, watching Laila sip her drink, looking at me nervously outta the corner of her eye. "Oh, we go to college together." said Rod as he mixed drinks for two older ladies who'd just appeared at the bar. "Miami University, huh?" I drawled down at Laila. "Yeah." she said, giving me a full view of those chestnut-coloured eyes over the rim of her glass. "What do you study?" I asked. "Physics." she replied. I raised my eyebrows. "Physics." I repeated, wrapping my tongue around the word as I looked her up and down. Her T-shirt had the word "Kelly's" printed on it in yellow cursive writing. "Who's Kelly?" I asked, looking at her T-shirt, "Your girlfriend?" She snorted. "As if. It's the diner where I work." she replied, "Haven't you heard of it? It's pretty famous." "Naw. Jus' moved here a week ago." I replied. She nodded. "Figures," she said, "Where are you from?" "Tampa," I replied, straightening my cowboy hat. "But I'm guessing that's not where you got your Texas accent from." she said wryly. I grinned. "You're a sharp lil' lady," I said, leaning against the bar on my elbow, "I grew up in Austin." She smiled. She had even white teeth that looked startling against her dusky skin. I found myself looking down at her for a few moments more than I should have. "Who's on next?" asked Rod, jerking me back to reality. I looked at the stage and realised Mark was finishing his act. "Richie." I said, straightening up to go announce Richie's act. I turned to Laila. "It was a pleasure meetin' you, lil' lady," I said, "Would you like to grab a drink sometime?" She smiled. "I'll get back to you on that." she said.


	3. Kelly's

For the next two days, I didn't hear nothin' from Laila Kumar. She was probably too busy studyin' Physics or wipin' counters at Kelly's to check in on lil' ol' me. I snorted. _Get yourself together, Dallas_, I thought to myself,_ Since when've you gotten so shaken' up by a girl? This ain' middle school! _So I put the little lady outta my mind and got down to business counting last night's haul. I whistled under my breath. We'd made a pretty sum. I'd have plenty left for myself once I was done payin' the boys.

Around two in the afternoon I closed up and wondered where to have lunch. I'm a crap cook. Can't cook for shit. So I usually roam 'round town till I find a plays that catches my fancy. That was when the idea struck me. I stood up an' stretched, checkin' myself out in the dressing room mirror. I was dressed in old, ripped blue jeans and a red n' white checked button down shirt. Nothin' fancy, but it did sccentuate my six feet three inches quite nicely. I strolled outta the club, hailin' a cab as soon as I hit the street. "Where can I take you, sir?" smiled the middle aged driver. I shoved my hands into my pockets and leaned down. "Kelly's Diner." I said.

Ten minutes later, I was standin' in front of a black building in a middle class neighbourhood with a bright yellow sign on top fashin' the word "KELLY'S". "Bit of a narcissist, this Kelly," I muttered under my breath as I pushed the front door open. There was jus' a fair, skinny blonde at the counter, lookin' bored as she played with her eyebrow piercing. Her eyes widened when she saw me walk in. I ignored her. I was lookin' for someone else.

I settled myself into a table near the door so that I could leave quickly if Laila wasn't here. The diner didn' particularly appeal to me. It had this real stale smell that made me wanna barf. _Why does she even work here_, I wondered. Talk of the devil. As soon as I thought that, lil' Miss Kumar appeared from behind a yellow door that read "Staff Only". She was wearin' her Kelly's T-shirt and a pair of patchy blue jeans, her hair pulled up in a ponytail. Her eyes widened when she saw me. I winked at her. She looked at the blonde, who was clearely her boss. "Well, take his order. What're waiting for?" asked the blonde. Laila looked a little disoriented. She paused for a moment, then nodded and started walkin' towards me, pullin' a notepad outta her pocket. "Good afternoon, Sir, and welcome to Kelly's Diner. May I take your order?" she recited, as if from a textbook. I rolled my eyes. I slid further into the booth and patted the seat. "Cut the crap, Laila, and sit down. I wanna have lunch with you." I drawled. Her grip on her pencil loosened. "W-What?" she stammered. I sighed. I leaned forward, looked into her eyes an' said, "You didn' get back to me about our date. So I thought I'd get back to you." "But I work here!" she whispered, glancing at the blonde who was staring at us. "Don' care," I said, leanin' back, "Now sit down."


	4. A Day Off

Laila stared down at me with a frown on her face. I raised my eyebows, asking her a silent question. "Gimme a sec." she said, spinning around at heading to the counter. She had a long conversation with the blonde manager. I yawned and stretched, pretending to be bored, but I was actually keeping a sharp eye on Laila. Her eyebrows were drawn together as she explained the situation to the blonde. I noticed Laila used her hands a lot while talking. She was either gesturing or tucking a stray strand of silky black hair behind her ear. The manager listened, glancing at me ocassionally. She looked amused. Finally, Laila finished her monologue, twisting her hands together nervously as she waited for the blonde to reply. The blonde looked at me and nodded.

I smiled, triumphant, as Laila slid into the seat OPPOSITE me. I noticed she was careful not to come too close. Hmm. That could mean so many different things, but her behaviour on this little "date" of ours would hopefully give me a clue into her real thoughts. "You won't believe it, she gave me the rest of the day off!" Laila said, looking over her shoulder at the blonde. "Oh, I believe it." I said with a wink. I leaned forward sloooowly, so that Laila would get the full idea of my height. I picked up the menu and flicked through it languidly. I looked up at her. She was watching me with wide eyes and a slightly confused expression. Her cheeks were flushed. Bingo. "Wanna order?" I asked.

"It was weird being a customer at Kelly's. Considering I work there." Laila said half an hour later, as we walked down the road. I sighed dramatically. "I take a pretty girl on a date and she finds it weird." I said, pretending to be heartbroken, waiting for her reaction. She didn't disappoint. "_Date_?" she squeaked. "Of course," I said, looking down at her. Dang, she was tiny. She was around 5"3, a whole foot shorter than me. "What else would you call this?" I continued. She didn't say anything for a long time. I held her hand as we crossed the street. The hair on my arms stood up as I felt what could only be called electricity pass through us. She withdrew her hand as soon as we got to the other side. Her face was red again. "But we just met!" she said, her voice still a little squeaky. Did I mention she's dang cute when she gets flustered? Man, I got it bad. "That's how two people get to know each other." I winked. She exhaled, her cheeks still red. "Fine. But only today. Only till midnight." she said. "So I have you all to myself till midnight?" I asked. She nodded. I held out my hand for her to shake. "Lil' lady, you got a deal. You won't regret this date."


	5. Vanilla (with a little icing!)

"So. Whaddaya wanna do?" I asked Laila as she skipped along beside me, her ponytail swinging from side to side. She looked like an adorable little girl. She paused and gave me a shy look from under her eyelashes that was anything but childlike. I froze, but certain parts of my body didn't. I swallowed, trying to keep my cool. My mouth had suddenly gone dry. "Well, I thought a guy like you would have a date all planned out before surprising a girl at her workplace." she said, fluttering her lashes. I forgot to reply. I wanted to grab her right there and kiss her. _Calm down, Dal,_ I told myself, _SHE'S the college student. Not_ _you. You're thirty fuckin' three. Have some class._ She dropped the flirty act and looked at me, concerned. "Dallas? Are you alright? It can get pretty hot out in Miami, and maybe you're not used to it yet-" she said, but I interrupted her, quickly pulling myself together. "Oh, it IS hot," I said, staring down at her to make my meaning clear, "But I think I can handle it." She blushed, turning red all the way from the base of her neck to the roots of her hair. "I'm not hot," she muttered. I looked at her, surprised. I wasn't sure how to react, since I don't normally date college girls, but it was pretty clear that she wasn't fishin' for compliments. Laila Kumar genuinely didn't find herself hot. "Of course you are, lil' lady." I said lightly, lacing my fingers through hers. She looked up at me as we walked, and I saw something change in her eyes. Then she shook her head. "Come on!" she said, lettin' go of my hand an' runnin' ahead, "Let's go to the beach!"

The beach was dotted with couples, stretched out on blankets, walking hand-in-hand, and stealing kisses behind their big beach umbrellas. There was a light breeze and not a single screaming baby in sight. The place was way too romantic. I couldn't remember the las' time I'd been to such a romantic place. We started walking down the beach, a few metres behind the couple walking hand-in-hand. Laila and I rolled up our jeans so as to not get them wet. We walked slowly, feeling the water and sand shift beneath our feet. I was (figuratively) out of my depth. I had no idea what to say to the girl beside me. I couldn't remember the last time I was so tongue-tied. Me, Mr. Smooth, Sex-God Dallas. But Laila seemed perfectly at home, walking down the beach and letting the wind play with her long, shiny hair. _I belong_ _in a strip club_, I thought, suddenly hopeless. I shook my head. _Dallas, what's gotten into you?! It's just a damn date! This is not some I-love-you-let's-be-together-forever shit. Just go with the flow_. So I asked Laila the first thing that popped into my head. "How old are you?" She grinned. "Twenty-one." she said. Good, she was legal. "So you graduate this year?" I asked. "Yeah!" she said, her eyes bright. "What're your future plans?" I asked, cringing at how lame I sounded. She pursed her lips. "I don't know. Quit working at Kelly's, definitely. God, that place sucks. I can't stand the smell. Whatever we do, it always smells that bad. We just can't get it to go." she said, sounding exasperated. I grinned. "I want to get a REAL job," she continued, "Or maybe do my post grad? That'll help me get a good job." "What is it with you and academics?!" I exclaimed, "_Post grad?_ Seriously?" "There ARE some of us who don't mind a little hard work, you know," she said sarcastically, "Plus, it'll make my parents proud if I do my post grad and then land a really good job." "You wanna make your _parents_ proud?" I asked, my eyebrows raised. "What's wrong with that?" she shot back. I thought for a while, rubbing my chin. "Nothin', really. Jus' that mos' twenty-one year olds care more about havin' a good time than makin' their _parents_ proud, or pursuin' their higher education fresh outta under grad." I said. She nodded, then shrugged. "Each person has different priorities," she said, "These are mine." We walked in silence for a few minutes. She was observing the couple in front of us. They were kissing, giggling and basically doing couple shit. Too lovey-dovey for my likin'. I looked down at Laila. She was expressionless. I didn' like that. I wanted to say somethin' to snap her outta her serious mode. I looked towards the sea, an' noticed the sunset. I nudged her gently. "Look." I said softly. Her expression softened when she looked at the pink-orange sky, threaded with indigo, and the sun half hidden behind the water. "Such a beautiful paradox," she whispered. I didn' understand how the sunset was a paradox, but I agreed that it was beautiful. And so was she. Her eyes were shining as they absorbed the beautiful sight before her. "Laila?" I asked. "Yeah?" she asked, lookin' up at me. I took her face between my hands and gazed into her eyes, before kissing her softly on the lips.


	6. When the Magic Ends

When the Magic Ends

**Author's Note: Hello fellow readers of fan fiction! I'm extremely sorry for the delay in updating this story. I've been super busy with college and my internship and I had no time at all to sit down with this story! But I'm on holiday now for a few days and i have some free time, so I thought I'd update the story! But before that, I have a few things to say.**

**Firstly, I have rated this fanfic 'M' for the stripper theme and the swearing. I do not intend to write a sex scene because this is my first fanfic and I am not really comfortable with lemon scenes as yet. So making that clear, I hope with experience I'll be able to overcome my inhibitions and write a wider variety of scenes.**

**Second, I received some reviews and I am very happy and thankful to all those who sent them in. :) Your support and encouragement means a lot to me and draws me back to this story. Please keep reviewing and sending me PMs.**

**Third, I'm a bit old - school (being an Indian from a traditional family and stuff), so please don't mind if this story ends up being a little conventional at the end. I intend the heroine to be a conventional girl too (she's bolder than me, though, I'm not allowed to drink or go to wild parties), so she influences Dallas's decisions and life choices and makes him think twice about his past and whether he really DID do the right thing in entering the adult industry. So on that note, I present you the sixth chapter of Dallas in Miami, aptly titled, 'When the Magic Ends'. **

I made my way back to the Xquisite Club about a half hour after midnight. It was noisy inside and I wondered if I could slip in unnoticed. I hoped the boys were all busy dancing or getting ready, so my lateness wouldn't be noticed or questioned. No such luck. Richie and Mark were waiting for me at the door to my office. Well, you can't really call it an office. It's more of an enhanced dressing room with a full length mirror, a desk, a stainless steel rack of my various stripper outfits. There were a few posters on the walls of me in my various outfits, lookin' cool and hot at the same time. "Hey boss." said Mark sarcastically in that deep, slightly threatening tone he uses when he's pissed off. He crossed his arms over his muscular chest. His bare biceps bulged menacingly. He was wearing nothing but low slung black trousers, white cuffs, and a white collar with a black bow tie. His blonde hair was slicked back with gel and his bare chest and abs were smeared with bronzer. Richie was dressed identically. They had clearly jus' gotten ready for a show. "Where were you?" asked Richie, doin' away with the sarcastic guilt tripping routine Mark clearly wanted to follow. "I was out." I said, trying to get past them into my office. They blocked me. "Out where? With whom?" asked Richie, his face turning red in anger. I got pissed. How could he talk to me like HE was the boss? I was HIS fuckin' boss. So I decided to return the favour an' piss him off too. "I was on a date," I drawled. Richie looked ready to explode and Mark looked incredulous. "You were on a DATE?! You just left us here to manage the club and then Mike walks in with his slut and tries to stage a fucking RESCUE OPERATION and take Adam away from here! He thinks Adam is going to get nowhere in life if he makes a career of stripping and now that bloody Magic Mike has become a bloody furniture store owner and makes his own money he thinks he can just walk in and take the Kid away from us! Mike was one of our best dudes, if you remember. Then you looked away for a second and he was gone! Do you want the same the happen to the Kid? There are some of us who actually NEED this place for a living! You can't let your best boys slip away! That's where Mike lost his magic." I closed my eyes and sighed. I don't know about Mike, but the day I had spent with Laila had sure been leached of its magic.


	7. Dysfunctional

Dysfunctional

**Author's Note: What did you guys think of the last chapter? For the first time in ages Dallas begins to feel light and uncomplicated, away from the cut - throat world of stripping where all that matters is money. Laila brings a whole new dimension to his life in just one day - a simplicity he didn't have before. But after the angry confrontation with Mark and Richie, and the incidents of this chapter, will Dallas be able to see Laila ever again? Or will their relationship end with the first date? Warning: Nudity in this chapter.**

I stood in my usual place behind the curtains as I watched Adam perform. I could see him and the first few rows of the audience, but I was hidden in the heavy fabric of the curtains. I wasn't in my usual flashy stripper duds. I was in the same jeans and button down shirt I had worn all day. The only difference was that I had thrown on my signature cowboy hat. The Kid was high tonight. He had probably taken a puff too many of weed, 'cos he was gettin' a little too close to the ladies, even by Xquisite's standards. As I watched him grind against a pretty lil' thing in a barely - there dress that kind of defeated the purpose of wearing a dress at all. The Kid lifted her and spun her around, unintentionally revealing her lack of panties to the whole club. She had pierced privates. The club was filled with cheers and giggles, but the girl was clearly too drunk to care. She turned and kissed Adam wetly on the lips, pushing her tongue into his mouth. We saw that that was pierced, too. There were screams of laughter and whoops from the crowd as she started a slow, sensuous slide down the Kid's body, the zipper at the back of her dress sliding lower and lower with each inch. When she finally stood up after her mile long shimmy, her dress (which was already strapless) slid off completely. She was naked underneath, except for a tattoo on her pelvic bone. By this time the Kid was also down to his thongs and as inebriated as the girl he was dancing with, and things could have gotten out of hand if I hadn't walked into the middle of the stage, removed my shirt, and covered her with it, leading her off the stage to a few boos from the crowd. Adam was momentarily confused at the loss of his dance partner, ended with a bow to plenty of hooting, applause, and a shower of money. I was too pissed off with the Kid for ignoring practically EVERY warning I had given him about not letting women get too close or too touchy-feely at the club. It was against our policy. And I didn't want any unwanted pregnancies being laid at the Xquisite Club's door. One of the boys who'd finished his act came jogging towards me with the girl's' tiny dress, which he had picked off the floor after the curtains went down. I handed it to her. She could barely hold it. She was leaning against my chest for support, the shirt I had given her falling open and baring her body. "Lady, you need to cover up," I said, trying to pull the shirt closed without touching her skin. Fortunately, another young girl came anxiously up to me. She looked relieved when she saw the girl I was supporting. "Thanks, man," she said when she saw that I had covered her friend with my shirt, "Lydia just went through a really hard break up and she's been taking it real bad. She's goes to work during the day, but she drinks herself silly at night and after that, it's not easy to control her." "Naw, that's cool. Jus' take her an'...Make sure she doesn' do anythin' stupid." I said. The girl nodded and led her friend away. I exhaled and turned around to see the Kid sauntering towards me. "Hey boss! How'd I do?" he slurred. Looking at him standing in front of me in nothing but a black satin thong with dollar bills stuffed in it like some cocky prick after having risked my business, I felt nothing but anger in that moment. I punched that cocky fucker right in the nose.


	8. Priorities

Priorities

**Author's Note: Hey readers! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, it means a lot to me. :) It's an amazing feeling to wake up to nice, long reviews and then get to work on the next chapter, all motivated! Now I'm going to answer a few questions asked by the readers:**

**1\. Why didn't Lydia's friends stop her from getting naked on stage?**

**Ans: Her friends weren't with her at the Xquisite Club. The girl who picked her up from Dallas had to track her down, hence her worry and anxiety. If she'd been there she would have stopped Lydia. I apologise for not making that clear in the story.**

**2\. Why don't I write a sex scene or change the rating to T?**

**Ans: "Sex" is not limited to penetration (sorry to put that so crudely)! There's a lot more you can do. And Laila is a bit hesitant, for reasons that will be revealed later in the story, so she doesn't want to go all the way just yet. But I assure you, there's a lot more "interesting" stuff coming up between her and Dallas! ;) And since that's going to be a bit graphic, I don't want to change the rating to T. :)**

**So enjoy this chapter, and watch out for some heavy - duty romance between our favourite pair!**

The Kid was in hospital, getting his nose fixed up. Apparently it had broken. He wouldn't be able to perform for a while. Fuck. My best cash - puller was out of commission and it was my fault. Mark and Richie were still pissed with me. The other boys were keeping a distance from me, like they were expecting me to punch them too. The atmosphere was tense in the Xquisite Club, and I was struggling to retain control as I always do. I no longer felt like I was the boss. Finally, it got too strained to take any longer. I needed a break.

A half hour later I sauntered into Kelly's. The girl with the pierced eyebrow was behind the counter, texting. She didn't see me walk in. I walked right up to her and drawled, "Hey, Miss. Is Laila around?" The girl looked up, surprised. She smirked when she recognised me. "Yeah. In the employee locker room." she said, sliding her fist across the smooth counter till her knuckles brushed mine. I looked down at her open palm. She held a key. I took it from her, surprised and grateful. She winked. I went to the door saying STAFF ONLY. "This one, right?" I asked. She nodded. I unlocked the door and slipped in, locking it firmly behind me.

Laila was standing at the far end of the small locker room. Her back was to me and she was facing an open locker. It was a full - length locker and I could see a change of clothes hanging in it. She was in jeans and a bra, taking her Kelly's T-shirt down from the hanger. Her smooth hair was loose, pulled over her right shoulder. She had a tattoo on her back, next to her right bra strap. It was a small Om. She was fiddling with the T-shirt, trying to take it off the hanger. Her arms were stretched in front of her, her hands trying to pull the T-shirt off the hanger. I walked smoothly and quietly up to her and slid my arms around her bare waist. I rested my chin on her right shoulder, feeling her smooth hair against my face and whispered, "Want some help with that?" in her ear. She jumped. I rubbed my hands in a soothing movement against her flat stomach. She stood still. I couldn't see her face, so I didn't know if she was frozen with shock or pleasure. I decided t take the risk. I wrapped one arm completely around her waist and slid the other one up her arm. She turned around. She was clutching the ugly black Kelly's T-shirt to her front. "Hey beautiful," I twinkled down at her, kissing her nose. She blushed, flustered. "How did you get in here, Dallas?" she whispered. "The chick at the counter gave me the key," I replied, pulling her closer. "Jenny," she cursed as I kissed her soft neck. But it sounded more like a sigh. "Dallas, go outside. Let me get dressed. I've got to work!" she said, pushing me away. "There are no customers yet, lil' lady. Take your time." I whispered, holding her bare waist and pulling her against me. She and I were now nose to nose. I kissed her on the mouth, an open - mouthed kiss that she returned it whole heartedly. Her slim arms slid around my neck and our tongues made contact. Her hand tangled in my overgrown brown curls and her fingers massaged the back of my neck gently. Our lips probed at each other's, trying to deepen the kiss even further. I pushed her against the closed door of the locker next to hers and ran my hands up her sides. She caught my hands before they reached her bra. "We'll continue later. Tomorrow's my day off, so I'll come to your club tonight. But right now, we both need to work." She kissed the tip of my nose. "Priorities, Dallas."


	9. Interruption

Interruption

Author's Note: Hey Readers! That was my first ever attempt at writing a romantic scene! I want to capture the passion and sexual tension between Dallas and Laila without going overboard or being unrealistic. There's going to be more of it (plot relevant, of course!) and a few twists and turns in Dallas's life that makes him reconsider his life choices.

When Laila walked into the Xquisite Club at eight pm, she wasn't dressed in her jeans and Kelly's T-shirt. She was wearing a red backless dress that reached her knees. On her feet were three - inch red stilettos. Her hair was swept over her shoulder, displaying her Om tattoo, and she was wearing lipstick as red as her dress. Her eyes were lined with black kohl. The clinging dress made her look even slimmer than usual. She was dressed far simply than a lot of other girls, most of whom were in glittery dresses much shorter than hers, but she managed to turn heads. I was holding my breath. She really looked a Laila - beautiful, sexy, and confident. I walked towards her. She grinned when she saw me in my low slung black trousers and white shirt. I'll doffed my cowboy hat at her. "Lookin' beautiful, M'lady," I purred, wrapping my arms around her waist. My thumbs brushed her bare back. She grinned, her teeth looking whiter due to the red lipstick. "Hey handsome. Been looking forward to seeing you." she replied. I grinned. I liked the way she said exactly what she was feeling. She never played with a man's feelings or played hard to get. Her honesty made her even more attractive. With each passing moment I spent in her company, I found it harder to resist her. "What say we go to my office? A lil' privacy." I said in low voice. She nodded and held my hand. I pulled her gently through the crowd, ignoring a surprised looking Mark as I opened the door to my office and let her in. I closed the door and locked it. She was looking at my posters with a blank face. "What?" I asked. "Nothing," she said, looking wistful. I took a step closer to her and held her shoulders. "Laila, what's wrong?" I asked, looking into her dark, vibrant eyes that now looked sad. What thoughts had my posters spawned in her mind to make her sad? Was she unhappy with the fact that I was in the adult industry? I had to know. Her opinion was very important to me. I wasn't sure why. "Lail-" I began again, but she cut me off by kissing me hard the mouth. Her kiss had even more passion than this afternoon. She took my face in her hands, kissing me long and hard. Our tongues met, and my hands cupped her cheeks as I kissed her back. "Laila, what-" I began to ask hoarsely when she abruptly pushed me away, but I trailed off when I saw what she was doing. She slid the thin, satiny straps of her dress over one shoulder at a time and pushed her dress to her waist, baring her torso to me. Her stomach was smooth and flat. Her collarbones were defined, but they didn't jut out. Her shoulders slid down into slim, firm arms. And her breasts...firm, caramel coloured with brown nipples, round and full, but not big. They were just right for her build. She was a woman in her prime. She reached up for my face and pulled me back down to her lips. I wrapped my hands around her slender waist and slid them up slowly till I reached her breasts. I rubbed them, pulled them gently with my palms, and moved my thumbs over her nipples in circles. She broke the kiss and threw her head back against the wall, clutching my biceps for support and moaning softly. She reached blindly for my shirt and tried to unbutton it. Her fingers were shaking with passion and she couldn't concentrate, so I helped her, a bit short of breath myself. When it as unbuttoned, she eased it off my shoulders and bared my biceps, letting the shirt hand from the crook of my elbows. She kissed my lips hard and stepped back. "Dallas, you're beautiful." she breathed, looking at my bare chest, stomach and biceps. For the first time in years, I blushed at a compliment. Women had seen my bare body before. I was a stripper, after all. But no woman had EVER looked at me with such fierce longing...a longing that was as emotional as it was physical. No woman had ever looked at me like how Laila was looking at me now. My heart pounded against my chest, a dual reaction to the fact that I was turned on and that I was in love. Yes, in love.

I was about to reach for her when there was a knock at the door. "Dal?" asked Mark, sounding worried, "Mike's here. To take Adam away."


	10. Revelations

Revelations

**Author's Note: Hey guys! I'm really sorry for the delay in posting. I'm really busy with my end of semester news! I have the story fully planned in my head, so I'll be quicker to upload and this story may get over soon. Please keep the comments, reviews and PMs coming!**

**Warning: Strong language in this chapter.**

Swearing, I pulled away from the gorgeous girl in front of me. She looked disappointed, but concerned too. "Who's Mike?" she whispered, adjusting her dress to cover her beautiful body, "And why does he want Adam?" "I'll tell you later. Gotta go deal with him now." I muttered grimly, pushing my way past my boys and striding towards Mike. He stood at the small exit, his girl beside him. They had that "I'm gonna do good" look on their faces, an' it totally riled me up."Whaddaya want, Mike?" I asked arrogantly, drawing myself up to my full six feet three inches. He didn't bat an an eyelid. "I want the 19 - year - old boy you turned into a stripper. I want to give him a better life." he said calmly. I laughed. "I turned him into a stripper? You were the one who brought him to me, ya motherfucker! Now that you're a big furniture store owner don't act like you're some messiah an' I'm the bad guy for giving a kid on the streets a job!" I growled. Mike's eyes flashed. "You don't seem to care how much he drinks or how much weed he smokes as long as he brings in money, do you? You're killing his future even before it starts. You bloody asshole." I launched myself at Mike, punching him and hitting him. He got in a few good punches too. Richie grabbed him and Mark grabbed me, struggling to part us. Mike's girlfriend said, loudly and clearly, "Mike, he's not worth it. Here comes Adam. Let's just take him and go." That made me turn around. That fuckin' traitor Adam was standin' behind me, wearin' jeans, a white T-shirt and a red an' yellow jacket. He was carryin' a duffel bag over his shoulder. He seemed sober. He looked at me uncertainly. "You wanna go, kid?" I asked him sarcastically, "Then go. I don't give a fuck. But don' forget that all the money you've stuffed into that duffel bag? Yeah, I made that happen."

A half hour after the fucker left, I was sittin' at the bar with Rod an' Mark, who'd just finished his show with Richie, when I realized Laila was missin'. "Where's Laila?" I asked, lookin' up from the glass of whisky Rod had poured me to calm me down. Rod and Mark exchanged a glance. "She left," said Rod, "She was standing behind you while Mike was...accusing you. When he got to the part about you...spoiling Adam, her expression changed. She just turned around and walked away." "Oh, fuck." I said quietly, resting my head between my hands. I thought for a while and then stood up. "Where're you going, boss?" Mark asked gently. This time he used the word "boss" with concern, not sarcasm. "To Laila's house." I said, pickin' up my coat.


	11. Regrets

Regrets

I knew Laila's house because I'd dropped her home after our first date. She lived as a paying guest with an old couple in a little house near the university. Her room was on floor above, so I'd have a bit of a job gettin' her attention. I stood under her window, wonderin' what to do. The light was on, so she wasn't asleep. But she wasn't answering my calls or texts either. I shoved my phone into my pocket, frustrated. I picked up a white pebble from the beautifully decorated lil' garden that surrounded the house. It was big enough to make a noise, but small enough not to break her window. I threw it and it bounced off her window. No answer. I picked up another one and threw it. It bounced off too. I was jus' pickin' up a third when Laila slid the window up. She was wearing a loose sweatshirt that hung off one shoulder and her hair was in a messy bun. "Wait, I'm coming." she said. In a moment she appeared from the side of the house. She led me up an outdoor staircase on the side of the house that ended at the door of her room. She opened the door and stood back, letting me in. She locked the door behind me as I looked at her room. The walls were painted ivory and there was some very old - world furniture in a dark brown wood. The curtains were white lace. There was a desk and chair, a cupboard, a bed, and a bedside table. Her bed linen was pink. There were a few books neatly arranged on the desk and a poster of a band called Doppler Effect. I'd never heard of them before. They looked Indian. It was a pretty, girly room. "What?" asked Laila. I turned around. "Laila, why did you leave?" I asked, holding both her hands. She looked into my eyes. "Knowing you are in the adult industry did bother me a little, to be honest," she said, getting straight to the point as usual, "I knew you'd have dabbled in drugs. Lot of people do, even if they're not in the adult industry. But hearing him...Mike or whoever...say that you had introduced a 19 - year - old to drugs really hurt. Especially when he said you didn't care how Adam WAS, and let him get as stoned as he liked as long as he raked in the money. He made yiu sound like some cutthroat businessman who doesn't give a damn about anything other than money. That's not the kind of guy I want to date, Dallas. I want a simple guy who can tell right from wrong.

"I guess we jumped into this too quickly. I got my hopes up without getting to know you properly. And now...I guess I regret that. I'm sorry, Dallas. I was ready to accept your choice of career. But I draw the line at this - this absolute disregard for right and wrong. So...I guess it's over."

I stared at her. "Laila-" She shook her head. "Please, Dallas. Please understand." she said, her voice breaking as she looked at me with red eyes. She had finished crying before I reached, I realized.

Since I didn't know what to say, I left. But in the cab on the way home, I remembered what mom had told me years an' years ago when I'd jus' got into strippin' an' was havin' a wild time-"You may have money, son, but you won't have true love."


	12. Test by Fire

Test by Fire

**Author's Note: Dallas realized that life is not always a smooth run and your past comes back to you when you least expect it. Now what will he choose - to get back to his life in the adult industry, where money comes easy but love doesn't, or will he reform himself to become Laila's dream man?**

I tried to plunge into my work and keep my mind blank an' away from the pain, but I found that I no longer liked my work. That's right- Dallas, stripper extraordinaire and hard core businessman, no longer liked his work. I wanted no longer happy. I'd go to work, supervise the boys, get drunk at the bar, an' go home. Rod din' say nothin' about Laila, an' neither did Mark or Richie. I called Laila several times, but she jus' cut my calls. Finally, I found myself outside Kelly's one afternoon, around a week after our big "incident". It was a swelterin' hot day, an' I pushed the glass doors open an' took a seat near the door. Kelly's was packed. It was full of homes, smokin' and yellin' the place down, all wearing T-shirts with the sleeves cut off to show their muscled, tattooed arms. The blonde chick who usually stood at the counter doin' nothin' was servin' today. She was wearin' a black tank top with "Kelly's" printed on it and a denim micromini. Guys were whistlin' at her an' one of 'em squeezed her butt as she passed. She didn' seem to care. She threw him a grin an' continued her work. I looked for Laila. The Staff Only door swung open an' she stepped out. She was in her work wear - raggedy jeans an' that God - awful Kelly's T-shirt. Her hair was scraped back into a bun. The Staff Only door was diagonally opposite where I was sittin', an' When she saw me, she froze. Our eyes locked, but then she looked away. She pulled a lil' notepad outta her pocket along with a pencil and hurried to take an order. I pinched the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes as I let out a sigh. Why was love so bloody complicated? Well, she couldn't ignore a customer. She'd HAVE to come take my order. I'd talk to her then.

As soon as I'd had that thought, the fire alarm started beeping. The group of people Laila was taking orders from were standing up and shouting. They were all crowded roun' her, trying to get away and fallin' over each other. I pushed my way through the crowd and saw that an open cigarette lighter had set a curtain on fire. Laila was pushing people away from the curtain, coughing. She picked up a jug of water from the table and poured it on the curtain. It didn't work. "Laila, you idiot, get outta here!" I exclaimed, grabbing her arm and pushing her out of the door into the arms of a surprised policeman. My eyes were watering as I turned round to go into the burning building. "Where are you going?" cried Laila. "To see if there's anyone left," I replied over my shoulder.


End file.
